Wheeled revolvable rider play platform

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a toy device in which a platform is provided with manually gripping means and also with a peripheral edge groove accommodating rope or cable placement. In a preferred form, the invention includes edge slots or equivalent means by which the direction of winding of the rope or cable may be reversed, this at a point midway of the rope&#39;&#39;s length when inplaced. Rapid pulling of the rope will rapidly revolve a person sitting or kneeling on the platform and may offer both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations by a single rope pull. The device may also be used as a dolly, if desired.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Kay B. Boley 985 West 320 North,Orem, Utah 84057 211 App]. No. 15,498

Filed Mar. 2, I970 lulcmcll Sept. 14.1971

[54] WHEELED REVOLVABLE RIDER PLAY PLATFORM 6 Claims,9 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 280/87.0l, 272/ 1 [51] Int. Cl B62b 11/00 [50] FieldofSearch 280/87.01, 87.02, 87.03, 87.04, 87.04 A; 272/1 R, 39

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,219,905 10/1940 Prickman..280/87.04 A UX 3,100,638 8/1963 Schoeffel..... 272/1 R X 3,109,66711/1963 Wolner 280/87.02

Primary Examiner- Lco Friaglia Attorney-M. Ralph Shaffer ABSTRACT: Thepresent invention comprises a toy device in which a platform is providedwith manually gripping means and also with a peripheral edge grooveaccommodating rope or cable placement. In a preferred form, theinvention includes edge slots or equivalent means by which the directionof winding of the rope or cable may be reversed, this at a point midwayof the ropes length when inplaced. Rapid pulling of the rope willrapidly revolve a person sitting or kneeling on the platform and mayoffer both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations by a single ropepull. The device may also be used as a b li jieita PATENTED SEP 1 4 IanFIG. 3

INVENTOR.

KAY B. BOLEY BY WW FIG. 6

FIG.5

HIS ATTORNEY WHEELED REVOLVABLE RIDER PLAY PLATFORM The presentinvention relates to dollies, revolvable platforms and the like and,more particularly, provides a play platform or utility dolly which isextremely simple, inexpensive to construct, and yet versatile inoperation.

Those prior devices which have been called to the applicants attentionare believed to be deficient in one or more respects and also are highlyexpensive to manufacture. To improve over the prior art, the applicanthas avoided the use of guard rails, framework and items of this nature,has provided manual gripping holes in the unit itself, and has includeda novel torque producing means. In this regard, it is important to notethat in the applicant's invention, a peripheral groove is necessitatedand is provided in the peripheral edge of the device. The grooveaccommodates a flexible elongate member such as a rope or cable which iswrapped around the groove. When the rope is pulled, then the samerapidly unwinds from such peripheral groove of the platform of thedevice, thereby rapidly spinning or torquing the platform about itsvertical central axis.

In a preferred form of the invention, the device includes auxiliarygrooves or notches wherein the direction of rope placement is reversedmidway at, or medially of the ropes length. In this way, the rope may bepulled so as to rotate the device in one direction and then, when theedge grooves are reached, to reverse revolvement of the device so itwill revolve in reverse direction.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a new andimproved revolvable platform device.

A further object is to provide a revolvable platform device which isextremely inexpensive to construct and yet versatile in operation.

An additional object is to provide a caster-supplied platform devicewhich is rotatable about a vertical axis.

An additional object is to provide a platform device of the typedescribed wherein a peripheral edge groove is supplied for revolvingelongate flexible torquing member.

An additional object is to provide a platform device incorporating aperipheral edge groove, the same accommodating a torquing rope or cablewhich can revolve the device in either one or both directions upon asingle pull.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device incorporating the principles ofthe present invention.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken along line lA-lA inFIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan showing a representative half of the invention.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken along the line 3A-3Ain FIG. 3.

FIGS. 4 and 4A are enlarged section details taken along the line 4-4 inFIG. 1, illustrating various embodiments.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic presentations illustrating revolvementdisplacement of the device in opposite directions, upon a single ropepull.

In FIG. 1, the platform 10 of device 11 is preferably circular in formand includes a peripheral groove 12 at edge E. Peripheral groove 12 ispreferably formed as a V-groove or even a generally circularly concavegroove. In any event, peripheral groove 12 should be such as to allowfor easy, spinning removal of a rope or cable disposed therein ashereinafter explained. Of course, the groove can be simply of square orrectangular configuration as illustrated in FIG. 4A; however, the samepreferably should not be undercut so as to interfere with automaticrelease of the rope or cable,

hereinafter explained, once the same is being or has been' pulled.

A pair of hand holes or apertures 13 and Mare included, the generalconfiguration of which is shown at 13 in FIG. 1A. Preferably, the sides13A and 138 may be concave and convex configured, respectively, asillustrated, so as to provide for easy gripping of the device withoutnecessitating hand gripping of the peripheral edge E of platform 'lO."

Platform 10 is provided with a plurality of easier assemblies 15 whichare pivotable about respective vertical axes in the usual manner, andmounted in respective caster receiving apertures 16. Four such casterassemblies 15 will generally be supplied. I

In FIG. 4 is illustrated one means of connection of a rope or cable withplatform 10. Thus, the edge E-may be provided with a slot 17 receivingthe end 19 of cable or, ropel8. Rope 18 is provided with knot 20 as seenin FIG. 4. Accordingly, the rope or cable may be wrapped around thedevice at peripheral groove 12 so as to accomplish a subsequent spinningof the same by the rope.

In the structure of FIG. 4, the rope is seen to be easily removed fromthe device as the same is pulled completely along its length to unwindrelative to platform 10. As an optional embodiment, there may beprovided a lip aperture 20 through which rope 21 is positioned andretained in place by knot 22. In such event, a spinning of the device bythe rope will not effect a complete removal of the rope from the device.The configuration of FIG. 4A is preferred.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it is seen that the edge E includes outeredge margins El and E2, which are contiguous with peripheral groove 12.Through one of the margins, and preferably margin E2, there is provideda pair of additional slots S1 and S2. Slot S1 may be disposedvertically; however, slot S2 should be slanted or inclined in thedirection shown.

In operation, the user takes a position upon platform 10 as indicated bythe figure shown in the drawing of FIG. 1. The user will place his handsthrough the hand holes or apertures 13, 14, and hold on while anotherperson attempts to spin the device about its own central vertical axisA. Rope 18 will be inplaced. Careful note is to be made of FIG. 1,wherein the knot of the rope is inplaced as shown, and the rope proceedsthrough hole 17 into peripheral groove 12, in a direction generallytoward the left. The rope is thus wrapped in a clockwise direction aboutthe platform 10, until, at an ap propriate time, it is desired toreverse the direction of the rope. An this point, the rope is routeddownwardly through groove 51 and then upwardly and to the right togroove S2. The rope is continued to be wrapped about the device. andthis time in a counterclockwise direction, until the end F is positionedapproximately as shown in FIG. 1.

The person then manipulating the device then pulls rapidly upon the ropeat F so that the device spins rapidly in a counterclockwise direction.Then, when that area F1 of the rope is reached, the device will rapidlycome to a stop and turn in a clockwise direction while the rope iscontinually being pulled, this until the rope either frees itself fromthe device, when the structure of FIG. 4 is used, or when the ropesimply has reached its extremity in the case of FIG. 4A. In such event,the user disposed upon platform 10 will continue to revolve about axisA.

It is noted that if desired, the device may be revolved solely in onedirection, with the slots S1 and S2 thus not being used. Greaterexcitement can be achieved, however, where the slots are used and adouble-rotating movement effected; again, the single pulling ofa singlerope effects double revolvement.

Where the double-back rope configurement is employed, as in the caseshown in FIG. 1, then FIG. 5 diagrammatically discloses the initialrotation of the device; subsequent pulling upon the rope effects acounterrotation as shown in FIG. 6.

The device of the invention can be used not only as a toy or a playdevice, but even as a dolly. The rope is useable to urge such dolly inany direction desired.

While the actuation means of the present invention has been referred toas rope or cable, it will be obvious that any type of flexible elongatemeans such as even a long flexible plastic tube may be utilized inpracticing the invention. Hence, the term flexible elongate means"herein shall refer to all types of such members that are constructed, bytheir flexible elongate nature, to revolve the dolly as above described.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects.

I claim:

1. A platform device including, in combination, a rigid platform, pluralcaster means pivotable about respective, individual vertical axesaffixed to said platform for supporting the same, said platform beingprovided with a peripheral edge groove, and flexible elongate meansdisposed in said groove for spinning said platform.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said platform includes edge slotscommunicating with, and transversely disposed with respect to said edgegroove, and constructed to receive said flexible elongate means in adoubled-back configuration.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said platform is provided with aperipheral edge having upper and lower'edge margins contiguous with saidedge groove, the lowermost one of said edge margin being provided withplural slot means for receiving said flexible elongate means indoubled-back configuration.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said lowermost edge margin is providedwith a transverse aperture, said flexible elongate means passing throughsaid aperture and including an enlargement retentively engaging saidplatform and said aperture.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said platform includes plural,handgripping apertures disposed on opposite sides thereof.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said platform includes meanscoacting with said flexible elongate means for enabling successiveopposite revolvement of said platform upon the single pull of saidflexible elongate means.

1. A platform device including, in combination, a rigid platform, pluralcaster means pivotable about respective, individual vertical axesaffixed to said platform for supporting the same, said platform beingprovided with a peripheral edge groove, and flexible elongate meansdisposed in said groove for spinning said platform.
 2. The structure ofclaim 1 wherein said platform includes edge slots communicating with,and transversely disposed with respect to said edge groove, andconstructed to receive said flexible elongate means in a doubled-backconfiguration.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said platform isprovided with a peripheral edge having upper and lower edge marginscontiguous with said edge groove, the lowermost one of said edge marginbeing provided with plural slot means for receiving said flexibleelongate means in doubled-back configuration.
 4. The device of claim 3wherein said lowermost edge margin is provided with a transverseaperture, said flexible elongate means passing through said aperture andincluding an enlargement retentively engaging said platform and saidaperture.
 5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said platform includesplural, handgripping apertures disposed on opposite sides thereof. 6.The structure of claim 1 wherein said platform includes means coactingwith said flexible elongate means for enabling successive oppositerevolvement of said platform upon the single pull of said flexibleelongate means.